This thesis examines the relationship between the practice of architectural design and the media through which it is represented. It makes a consistent critical appraisal of the philosophical presumptions under which architectural theory is made, in particular, the relationship between theories of expression and representation. The thesis presents seven distinct projects by the author which developmentally explore the degree to which architecture is able to represent the sublime - in particular through the concept of horror. In this instance horror emerges as a category of excess that supervenes the uses of the term in the genres of film and literary studies. Within the thesis horror describes an (impossible) objective for representation The thesis argues that the environment within which these philosophical questions of 'effect' may most resonantly be explored is, ultimately, digital media. The author draws on contemporary commentary by Jacques Derrida and Georges Bataille, in particular Derrida's discussion of the Parergon and contemporary discussion of l'informe, the informal to support these arguments. It is within the apparently 'real' environments of virtual reality that the presentation of the mise-en-scene of horror may be explored. Immersive digital environments, it is argued, provide an appropriate level of freedom and direction for the exploration of the spatial experience of the abyss. The thesis concludes by presenting observations on the antinomy of aspirations that any materialist theory of architectural practice must attend to when working within digital media.

This dissertation presents interaction techniques for 3D modelling of large structures in outdoor augmented reality environments. Augmented reality is the process of registering projected computer-generated images over a user's view of the physical world. With the use of a mobile computer, augmented reality can also be experienced in an outdoor environment. Working in a mobile outdoor environment introduces new challenges not previously encountered indoors, requiring the development of new user interfaces to interact with the computer. Current AR systems only support limited interactions and so the complexity of applications that can be developed is also limited. This dissertation describes a number of novel contributions that improve the state of the art in augmented reality technology. / thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 2004.

In this thesis the development of a remotely controlled system used for visual monitoring of surgical procedures at distant locations in described. The system has been developed for laboratory testing, where in the longer term it is to be verified under field conditions. Using existing technology in areas of serial communication and videoconferencing in a new configuration, it has been possible to achieve such a system. The system is intended to assist in performing complex surgical procedures at remote locations where specialist surgeons are normally unavailable. With the prototype system developed in this thesis, a remotely based general surgeon performing an operation can consult and interact with other specialist surgeons through visual operation and voice communications. The teleoperated system consists of two computers, a commercially available robot and a videoconferencing unit / Master of Engineering (Hons)

This thesis describes the design and application of a virtual reality simulator for orthopaedic surgeryof the proximal femur. The aim of the research was to create a simulator with the followingattributes; could be used within the current public hospital setting, reflected the perceived needs ofthe local orthopaedic community, provided surgically relevant feedback about aspects of technicalability to orthopaedic surgical trainees and the training committee, allowed practice of operativetasks which for reasons of radiation exposure could otherwise not occur, was validated, and couldbe developed further for other operations. The ultimate aim of the simulator is to allow trainees topractice aspects of surgical treatment such that their care of real patients is improved. The novel aspect of this work has been the development of a simulator which allows the trainee toperform all the steps required for two surgical procedures; namely hip fracture fixation and pinningof slipped femoral capital epiphyses. The simulator runs on the computers found within the publichospital as it does not require expensive hardware such as haptic (force feedback) devices. Resultsfrom the simulator mimic real world measurements which are seldom available to trainees asfeedback to enable them to practice their craft. A survey of the New Zealand orthopaedic surgeons and advanced trainees showed this communitywas generally supportive of simulation, though only 4 respondents had previous experience with asurgical simulator. The task of practicing angulation/spatial orientation was thought most suitablefor simulation, which is the task which the simulator specifically allows trainees to practice. Morerecently qualified surgeons were more likely to agree that simulation was an effective way topractice surgical procedures. Validation of the simulator was tested in two experiments. The simulator was shown to have facevalidity; i.e. a realistic representation of the operating room. This result was obtained by surveyingusers who had completed a number of virtual operations. Construct validity was assessed by thesimulator’s ability to identify between groups of users with differing levels of real surgicalexperience. The simulator was able to discriminate medical students from orthopaedic trainees,despite the medical students’ greater ability in computer-gaming. Advanced trainees generallyperformed better than basic trainees, though in the limited number of trainees available significancewas not reached. Finally the simulator was developed further to allow all advanced trainees within New Zealand tocomplete virtual pin placement of a slipped capital femoral epiphysis. This demonstrated thefeasibility of using the simulator for assessment of trainees within their normal training weekend. Italso revealed different operating styles, and showed how these differing styles do not correlate withthe accuracy with which the final screw is placed.

"June 27, 2004" / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 180-195) / xiii, 195 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, School of Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Design, 2004

Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio University, June, 2007. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.) -- Mississippi State University. Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

The introduction of digital media into the working practice of artists has produced challenges previously unknown to the field of art. This inquiry follows an atypical model of artist-driven research derived from disciplines such as social science and education. Here, an artwork functions as a model that is self-reflective, integrating methodologies in a form that benefits art and science. Using Naturalistic Inquiry, including semi-structured interviews of fifteen participants, the work illustrates a process of creation, analysis and evaluation that places the values of the artist on equal footing with the needs of science. Recently, artists have begun using video game engines as a tool to produce 3D navigable spaces. Using the hybrid video game/installation Playas: Homeland Mirage as a case study, this research examines the impact of technology on the artwork and identifies a number of key issues related to the function of critical reflection in this environment. Rules-of-play were a fundamental pre-requisite to the stimulation of critically reflective experience. The human interface with software and hardware was also a primary factor in reflective experience. Based on participant evaluation and observation, the interface was altered in response to its effect on critical reflection, illustrating how choices in this area impact aesthetic experience. Those with experience in visual art were more likely to engage the work in a critically reflective manner than seasoned video game players who tended to be more interested in scoring and winning. These findings and others inform our understanding of the stimulation of critical reflection in immersive environments and show how we can sensitively integrate technology with meaningful evaluative methods. By repurposing a video game in this manner, we learn about the nature of the video game and the nature of art. This research enables artists to gain a better understanding of the medium to more fully integrate technology within a meaningful practice. Conversely, other fields will benefit from a better understanding of the stimulation of meaning in immersive spaces and gain a comprehensive view of a work that strives to contribute to our culture on a deeper level than as simple entertainment. Ultimately, more fully understanding critical reflection in virtual environments will enable us to create enriched experiences that transcend space to create “real” or “virtual” place.

Commonly employed executive function measures may be of limited use due to their modest ecological validity. A novel task was developed - the Multitasking in the City Test (MCT) - in an attempt to improve ecological validity. The MCT involves task demands that resemble the demands of everyday activities. In study one, healthy participants were recruited in order to explore ‘normal’ performance on the MCT and its relationship with other cognitive measures. The MCT showed poor associations with executive tests and significant correlations with non-executive tests. This suggested the MCT may evaluate executive functioning in a different way from other executive measures such that it does not simply measure component executive processes but the integration of these components into meaningful behaviour. Patients with stroke and traumatic brain injury were recruited for study two to further explore the ecological validity and MCT performance characteristics. Only the MCT and a semantic fluency task demonstrated good ecological validity via significant relationships with a behavioural rating scale. Patients and normals made qualitatively similar types of errors although patients made these errors more frequently. Patients demonstrated better planning ability but completed fewer tasks than normals on the MCT. This discrepancy was attributed to impaired initiation. In study three, the MCT and verbal fluency tasks were administered to brain-injured individuals both pre- and post-executive function rehabilitation to evaluate their utility as treatment outcome measures and to assess ecological validity via a different behavioural rating scale from the one used in study two. Strategies trained during treatment generalized to MCT but not verbal fluency performance. Both MCT and semantic fluency performance were found to have good ecological validity. Overall, the findings from this research project suggest the MCT and semantic fluency tasks have good ecological validity. They further suggest that several common executive function measures lack adequate ecological validity and may not be predictive of real world behaviour. Moreover, these results support the concept of an executive function ‘system’ that can be fractionated into a variety of executive processes and that impairments in one process (e.g., initiation) can exist alongside intact functioning in other processes (e.g., planning).

Commonly employed executive function measures may be of limited use due to their modest ecological validity. A novel task was developed - the Multitasking in the City Test (MCT) - in an attempt to improve ecological validity. The MCT involves task demands that resemble the demands of everyday activities. In study one, healthy participants were recruited in order to explore ‘normal’ performance on the MCT and its relationship with other cognitive measures. The MCT showed poor associations with executive tests and significant correlations with non-executive tests. This suggested the MCT may evaluate executive functioning in a different way from other executive measures such that it does not simply measure component executive processes but the integration of these components into meaningful behaviour. Patients with stroke and traumatic brain injury were recruited for study two to further explore the ecological validity and MCT performance characteristics. Only the MCT and a semantic fluency task demonstrated good ecological validity via significant relationships with a behavioural rating scale. Patients and normals made qualitatively similar types of errors although patients made these errors more frequently. Patients demonstrated better planning ability but completed fewer tasks than normals on the MCT. This discrepancy was attributed to impaired initiation. In study three, the MCT and verbal fluency tasks were administered to brain-injured individuals both pre- and post-executive function rehabilitation to evaluate their utility as treatment outcome measures and to assess ecological validity via a different behavioural rating scale from the one used in study two. Strategies trained during treatment generalized to MCT but not verbal fluency performance. Both MCT and semantic fluency performance were found to have good ecological validity. Overall, the findings from this research project suggest the MCT and semantic fluency tasks have good ecological validity. They further suggest that several common executive function measures lack adequate ecological validity and may not be predictive of real world behaviour. Moreover, these results support the concept of an executive function ‘system’ that can be fractionated into a variety of executive processes and that impairments in one process (e.g., initiation) can exist alongside intact functioning in other processes (e.g., planning).